Put a feeder where you can see it from inside, five to six feet off the ground, near shrubs or trees but not under them, and either within three feet of a window or more than thirty feet away.
Where should a bird feeder go in the yard?
Start with your own view. A feeder you cannot see from the kitchen or your favorite chair is a feeder you will forget to fill and clean. Then look at the yard from a bird's side: birds like a clear view around the feeder and somewhere to retreat to. A spot near shrubs, a hedge or a small tree gives them both. Most guidance puts the feeder about ten to twelve feet from that cover, close enough to dart back to and far enough that a cat cannot hide right beside it.
How close to a window should a feeder be?
The common guideline from bird organizations is either very close or quite far: within three feet of the glass, or more than thirty feet away. At close range a bird leaving the feeder cannot build up speed toward the window. At long range the window is less likely to look like open sky. The middle distance, roughly ten to twenty feet, is the one most guides suggest avoiding. Window feeders that mount on the glass itself sit at the closest end of that range, which is part of why they are popular.
How high should a bird feeder hang?
Five to six feet off the ground suits most hanging and pole feeders. It is easy to reach for filling and cleaning, and it keeps the feeder above the reach of most ground predators. Platform and ground feeders work lower by design. If you hang from a branch or a hook, check that the feeder will not swing into a trunk or a wall in the wind, and leave room below for a baffle if squirrels are a problem.
Should a feeder be in sun or shade?
Partial shade is the usual choice. Full afternoon sun warms seed and spoils nectar faster, which means more cleaning and more waste. Deep shade under a dense tree can keep a feeder damp. A spot with morning sun and afternoon shade is a good compromise, and the same rule applies to hummingbird feeders, where nectar spoils fastest in heat.
How do you keep squirrels off a feeder?
Distance does most of the work. Squirrels jump, so a common rule of thumb is to place a pole feeder about ten feet from fences, roofs, decks and overhanging branches. Below the feeder, a baffle on the pole stops climbing. On a hook or branch, a dome baffle above the feeder does the same job from the other side. No feeder or setup is squirrel-proof every time, but placement and a baffle together go a long way.
Where should a bird bath go?
Set a bath in the open, where birds can see around them while they drink, with a shrub or branch within a short flight for perching and preening. Keep it level so the water sits evenly, and in a place you can reach with a watering can, because the water needs changing every day or two. A bath near the feeder makes the station easy to tend in one visit.
What if you only have a balcony or a window?
A window feeder is the simplest answer: it mounts on clean glass with suction cups and needs no pole or tree. On a balcony, a bracket on the railing or a small hanging feeder works, as does a hanging bath. Check your building's rules first, and keep seed tidy below. A small setup still makes a good field guide of its own.